Reunions are Memory Makers

 For the past seven years, when I have travelled, it has been purposeful. It has been for a reunion, a writer’s conference, an English teacher’s conference, or volunteering with National Bible Bowl (a Bible quiz tournament). It was difficult to watch people gather in other states at those events while I stayed locked in my home in Los Angeles in both 2020 and 2021. Although some of my events were on Zoom, there is something unique and life affirming and possibly life changing of meeting in person. 

When I discovered that there would be a reunion for my college that closed in 2019, I hoped I would be able to attend in-person. When we first hear the word, “reunion,” we immediately flashback to the memories that we had together. We reminisce and live just a little bit in the past. It’s good to remember the past, especially the fun and people who helped shaped us into who we are today. What I have discovered is that reunions can also create memory makers for the future. 

I love to travel. I love to explore places that are new, along with places where I have visited before or have lived in my past. In the places where I lived, I developed friendships that have lasted since I moved. When I return to those friends, we gather for meals, talk, reunions, and enjoy the company of each other. I remember why I have a fondness of the place, but I also remember that I have a strength that is beyond human strength. Our faith in God has tied us together. 

I enjoy reminiscing but discovering how my friends have grown in Christ and the risks that they have taken in their faith is empowering to my own life. Jesus ties us together. I know that many people will claim that we will be together after death and in heaven. That is true, but sometimes we need encouragement here on earth. I never realized how much others influenced my faith, which is why as Christians we must be in community, and the communities must become healthy. 

As much trouble my college went through while I was there, our leaders were strong and healthy in their own faith, which kept us growing in Christ. Like one of my friends said, we were protected from some of the worst of it, which for our spiritual growth, we needed to be. We also didn’t need to know specifics for our gossipy mouths. What I have realized with this reunion and the reunion in 2019 is the importance of our churches being healthy. 

First, our churches must impart true community. Control divides and separates. Grace brings unity. I don’t need to be punished or excommunicated from the church for the sin I have committed, while others in the church, many times as leaders, are committing the same sins. We all must show grace to one another and encourage one another of how we can live in the life of Christ. Human beings do not determine my faith in Christ. There are not levels of Christianity. I was taught that my whole life, and it is incorrect. 

There are people who understand the love and grace of Christ immediately when they give their lives to Him. Others take a bit longer to understand faith. That does not create levels in faith. It describes the faith journey that is different for everyone. Paul describes the order of gifts in Romans. He does not describe the order of faith. Just because someone has a gift in a high order does not mean that person has more faith or is a “better” Christian. Paul also claims that the gifts that we don’t always see are sometimes more important than the ones that we do see. 

Faith is not a competition. There is no such thing as a “better” Christian. There are just people who have had to use much faith in their lives because of circumstances that have created it. Others have not acknowledged the faith that they have used in their lives. These are the ones that continue to live their lives as if Christianity is a competition. Jesus even claimed that the person with the most faith is like a young child. It is the one who has small faith that grows. 

To have true community in our churches, we must encourage and empower people to grow in their faith. That does not always mean growing in knowledge, but it means listening and understanding where people are and building relationships with them where they are. In college, our professors challenged us on our knowledge. The groups we joined, our internships, and our relationships challenged our faith. 

We must build relationships with people in our churches beyond Sunday mornings. I wrote an article on how Bible Bowl does that with teenagers. Our youth ministries strive to have young people build relationships with one another. Then, when they become adults, we falter. The elderly people have great communities. Why do we have great community when we are young and old? What happens in the middle?  We become so focused on how we present our faith to others that we forget people care more about who we are, not who we pretend to be. 

In college, one of my favorite people, Dr. David Roadcup, reminded us weekly to be authentic. I never knew how important that was until I worked in youth ministry. You can’t be fake around teenagers. They can smell out a fake within ten seconds. We all sin. No one is perfect. When you meet with someone, and they begin to expound their flaws or sins, share yours. You will find that being authentic brings respect, love, and faith. Dr. Roadcup was correct. Authenticity is a must in any ministry and in any church. 

Along with authenticity, we must tear down the barriers of disunity and build bridges. Our churches must build bridges with those teenagers who love one another and with the elderly who always have parties. When my home church was thriving, I remember Sunday School classes, now considered small groups, would have parties and events. Holidays are a great time for your small groups to gather in fellowship. People are searching for true community. It comes when we celebrate with one another. 

This week reminded me that my faith in Christ is built because of the people that God put in my life. We empower and encourage one another. Hebrews tells us to encourage one another for the day is coming. In that day, we will have a reunion. No one will compete for who has the most faith. We will gather because of our faith. May we find the blessings we have in our friendships. 

Discover those in your church that need community. You will be surprised. Love. Love covers over a multitude of sins. Let us love one another for that day of that reunion will be a day of true rejoicing. 

With Freedom Comes Great Responsibility

 On this July 4th, people will celebrate with barbeques, fireworks, gatherings, apple pie, parades, and baseball games. We celebrate this day not because we are free from all the rules that we don’t like, but because our founding fathers fought against the oppressive rule of Britain. On this day in 1776, America declared its freedom from the rule of King George. In no way is America perfect. A country is full of people, and we are all imperfect, so our country is not perfect. We have a long way to go for everyone to have equity. We do however have freedom, but we must realize that with freedom comes responsibility. 

Even though we are a free country, it does not mean that we get everything we want or that every law is in our favor. Trust me. I wish some laws would be handed down, but not only would we not be a free country, but war could break out among the people because my laws would annoy you. America was unique when it began, especially wanting freedom from a government ruling us. After we received our Independence from Britain, war broke out among the states over the idea of freeing all people. Once slaves were emancipated, freedom was to be for all people. I know we have a long way to go for all people to be free, but we have come a long way. 

With freedom comes great responsibility. We have taken freedom for granted for so long, that many of us have become mundane and haven’t realized that we must change for all to be free. Our founding fathers wanted us to be free from a government ruling us. They wanted people to be able to take risks as they did and create lives that would bring good to everyone. We have the freedom to choose our life course. We have the responsibility to protect that freedom for those who live among us and after us. 

We must use our freedom with responsibility. We have freedom of speech. I have seen the unwise comments that people are speaking on social media. When we don’t have responsibility over our speech, relationships are broken, which causes friction. The Bible warns us about our tongues being out of control. Calling people names and deeming them evil because they believe differently than you, are not responsible acts. It’s being a tyrant. 

If you want the freedom to speak or write your opinions, allow others to do the same. You don’t have to respond. Being responsible with freedom means allowing others to speak with their freedom. If you want to have an intelligent discourse, which is rare on social media, then have one with intelligence, no name calling, and with understanding of the views of the other person. The goal is not to change the other person’s views but to see their views and understand that person with their experiences. We must speak to others as we want them to speak to us. 

Along with responsibility of speech, we must have responsibility of our religious beliefs. Jesus did not command us to go around and demand that everyone believes in him, but to invite others into his presence. There’s a big difference between demanding and inviting.  Jesus did not tell us to belittle or call people names who do not believe in him. He never did that. He told us to go and make disciples. That takes time, not screaming on the street corners, which is what social media does. We want to INIVITE people to Jesus not shove them to Him and demand that they follow him or else. That’s not freedom. That’s not responsible. That’s not freedom in our country or in the ways of Jesus. Jesus always invited. He never demanded. Let’s begin inviting. 

The Revolutionary War was fought so that we could have a government that governs the people and represents the people, not rule the people. Our country is divided. We are so polarized that people on either side cannot communicate or have relationships with those who think and believe differently than them. Both sides want to rule. We must realize that God created all of us with a brain and we all think and believe differently. We all have different experiences that shape our ideas and beliefs. In order to have a more perfect union, we must begin with listening to those who are different from us. 

When I visited Washington D.C. in 2013, I understood with all the tours, memorials, homes, and battle lands that we are a young nation. We have made grave mistakes, but we also have made beautiful strides in making the world a better place with our inventions. If we want the country to be better, then we must all do one small act to be better. The country doesn’t get better because we vote or because the laws we want or don’t want. The country is made up of human beings. When human beings become better in their actions and words towards other people, the country becomes better. 

Our founding fathers compromised. They did not agree with one another. You will never agree with someone 100%, but if we want this country to remain free, we must compromise. We must listen. We must be responsible with the freedom we do have because if we don’t, we may lose it. 

The Fourth of July is not about barbeques, or fireworks, or parades. It’s a reminder that we received our independence from a tyrannical government. Let us appreciate our freedom. Let us be responsible with our freedom and respect the ideas of others because we do not want to lose our freedom. It is our responsibility to protect our freedom. Protected freedom comes with responsibility. Let us begin to be responsible with our freedom. 

The One True Church

 I binged watched the series, Under the Banner of Heaven on Netflix. The premise of the show is the investigation of the brutal murders of a mother and her eighteen-month-old child in 1984. The victims and their murderers were all in the Mormon church. They were part of one family. Throughout the show, the characters who are Mormon are reminded that their church is the one true church. That statement made me think. 

For centuries, theologians have been bickering of how “right” or “more right” their denomination or non-denomination is. It has leaked into our political parties. Both parties in America claim that their party is the one true party in which we should believe. Then, the social media fights begin of how right people are or are not. The need to be “right” has overshadowed what is truly right. We have become a people to fight for what is right and not for people. 

I am intrigued with the study of other religions and cults. I am curious of what the alure is to beliefs that may appear strange to some of us. It all comes to the leader manipulating the people of how right his or her way of thinking and beliefs are. It’s scary of what we can force people to believe if we push the idea that the belief is of absolute truth, when, it has many holes. It is all about having to be right. 

I have a confession. I love the three words, “You are right.” It gives me validation. Part of that comes because most of the time, I either do not say my opinion or I am wrong. So, when I hear how right I am, I become proud, and it usually leads to pridefulness. You can judge me. As you judge me, remember that the next time you post something on social media claiming how right you are about a topic, especially anything with religion. 

Before anyone judges me, most people press to be right today. Not many people admit to when they are wrong or when they make a mistake. I could become dry dust waiting for some people to apologize that they were wrong. Maybe your facts were correct. The method in which you delivered them was incorrect, rude, and insensitive. This is for both Christians and non-Christians. It’s time that we work harder to bring people to righteousness instead of our own rightness. 

So, how do we do this? There are simple solutions, but like everything else, when dealing with people, a simple solution is not so simple. It takes empathy, compassion, and understanding. 

First, we must listen. We must listen to the hurts of those who need Jesus. Are we listening or are we insulting and condemning? We must listen to what their concerns are of the church and start where they are, not at the loftiness of our high intelligence of rightness. You don’t have to condone sin. You also can confess your sin. How do you want people to approach you when they know about your sin? That’s how you approach someone who is living outside of Jesus. It goes back to Jesus saying that we are to do unto others as we want them to do to us. 

Next, we must be empathetic. We must treat others how we want to be treated. Even though people have a gruff exterior, no one wants to be approached with a condemning attitude of superiority. Watch the debates on Twitter and you will learn quickly how people do not change because of that attitude. They just become superior in their own beliefs.  Twitter is a great example of how not to communicate with human beings. We must approach people with kindness. We must start where they are in their beliefs of God. It’s how Jesus reached people who didn’t know him. 

The final step is doing what Jesus did. We wore the bracelets in the 1990s; now it’s time to put those bracelets asking what would Jesus do into practice. Jesus started where people were, not where he was, which was good for the people. He invited Zacchaeus to his house. He met with the woman at the well and talked with her and acknowledged what she knew. He walked with Peter on the water and knew how to get him back on his feet. If Jesus started with humans at his level, none of us would be worthy of his salvation. 

We must start where people are. We can be right with our beliefs, even when our beliefs are backed by scientific facts. Being right doesn’t give us the privilege to be rude. It doesn’t give us the privilege to start with people at a level that they cannot attain spiritually. When we show our love and understanding. We must teach people that God loves them for who they are right now. They do not have to change before giving their life to God. They are to give their lives to God and allow God to change them. 

Most of us want the best for ourselves and others. We fight that our way is the best because we want others to enjoy the great benefits that we have in life. We just have to use honey in our tone and not salt. No one wants to be assaulted with your rightness. I am not going to change my beliefs because you posted a meme, you swore at me, you punched me with a comment on social media, or you found an outlier story to share. I am going to listen and understand your beliefs because you used honey to help me see your side. Jesus didn’t scream. Jesus didn’t condemn. Jesus showed compassion and grace. 

We all strive to do our best. We want all the answers. We want to serve God and do it with our best, not our mediocrity. Let’s change our work. Let’s introduce people to Jesus and not our church. Then, we will see a change in society around us. We’ll let God decide which church is the one true church. I think his answer will surprise us because it will be all the saints in heaven gathered at the feet of Jesus at which we will then know. 

Getting Lost While Travelling is Just an Adventure

 

I am notorious for getting lost. Even when I use GPS, I can manage to get lost. Ask any of my former youth group members, and they will confirm that I can get lost even in a city that I know well, and while flying, which is a story for another time. Somewhere in my youth ministry conferences, I was informed to create an adventure when you get lost on youth group trips, so I did. Now, when I get lost while going somewhere in Los Angeles or travelling across America, I connect it to being an adventure. 

An adventure has many elements. There’s the anticipation of fun. We delight in the idea of trying something new or going to a new place or meeting new people. Then, there’s the element of danger. In any adventure, there is danger involved. The danger tests our faith and either gives us strength or weakens us. In any adventure there is a choice. We can choose which path to take. We can change our choice. We can move in any direction, which can help or harm our adventure. 

Life is an adventure. There are times on the journey where the adventure is full of dangerous times and scary incidents. There are times when the adventure of life is joyous, and we wish we could stop time and hold those moments forever. One element that an adventure has is that we must keep moving. Sometimes, we slip and try to go backward, which just makes it more difficult. Sometimes, we make the wrong choice, and our journey is difficult. Sometimes, events out of our control hits us, and we must make decisions that we never thought we would have to make. 

Since life is an adventure, we must move forward. We cannot continually live in the past. Connecting with friends from the past and reminiscing is great, but we must also build a friendship with them in the present so we can join in with them on their life adventure and move forward and not stay stuck in the past with them. Once we decide to live in the past, we choose to stop living by faith. We would rather live by what we know and what we can see. Living in the present and leaving the past behind requires faith. Live in faith and in the present and move in the direction of the future. 

We may be unsure of what the present and the future holds, but we cannot go back to the past. The past is gone. What we remember has changed, or how we remember it is with more sentiment than it deserves. An adventure always requires for us to take a risk. Take a risk and step away from the past and move forward. It’s worth it. You will move forward with faith, and your faith will increase. 

Sometimes the risk in an adventure requires us to question what we thought we knew. Questions are not bad. If we are willing to ask questions, we are revealing that we are thinking. Questions are not bad. We must ask questions on our adventure, or we will allow someone else to control us. On an adventure, a question can direct us in the right direction once we discover the answer. 

Sometimes our adventure is difficult because of a wrong choice. Many times, I got lost because I did not pay attention to the signs or to the details on a plane ticket. It’s when we are not aware that we make mistakes. Staying aware of life means we must listen and study for ourselves answers for which we are looking. It means we don’t just agree with those who agree with us or because our political party or our pastors said it. We must think for ourselves and take ownership of our own choices. We make mistakes and sin when we are not aware of how our actions are making others miserable. We must repent and turn onto the right path. 

Sometimes, on our adventures, an element knocks us off our path that is out of our control. We have choices. We can blame the element or person that did this. We can blame God, or we can find how we can continue to move through our adventure and in the future learn from this disaster. Trials in life that hit us are supposed to develop in us maturity and perseverance. How we respond to the trials brings maturity or immaturity. Blaming others or God will only bring heartache and you will not be able to move forward from the tragedy. You will just remain immature, bitter, and angry. Reaching out for help from those who can help and turning to God to guide you will bring you out on the other side with maturity and perseverance. Your character as stated in James 1 will have grown. 

In the summertime, many of us go places and take an actual adventure. Whether you leave your house or not, focus on how your life is revealing the direction of your adventure. If your direction is leading to growth, you are on the right path. If you are doing the same mistakes, and it feels like you are going in circles, change direction. It will cause growth and health in you. Adventures make life full. It brings us growth spiritually, emotionally, physically, and mentally. So, as we commence upon this summer, let us go and have a great adventure! 

Summer Vacation for Adults

 

For the past fifteen years, I have looked forward to summer because as a teacher, I get a summer break from the classroom. Although I volunteered at a basketball camp one summer and taught at a drama camp the following summer, most of my breaks have been fun and fancy free from work at school. At the end of each school year, I am well aware of the rest that is needed for the summer break. I realize that not all adults have the luxury of having two months off in the summer from their job. I also realize that most adults need the rest and a break more than children do, especially in a season that begs us to take a break. 

Rest is valuable to adults. In Kindergarten, most of us fought those naps, but as adults, we yearn for just a small power nap in the middle of the day to keep our energy going. Rest is valuable. I’m a person who loves to go and keep active. The pandemic forced me to stay at home. Now, that we have the freedom to be out of our homes, I realize I must do better with resting. 

In youth ministry, some people tried to convince me that resting was not available to us because God’s work is never done. It’s true that God’s work here on earth will never be done. It’s arrogant and theologically incorrect to believe that we are the only ones to do God’s work. If I believe that I am the only one who can do God’s work, I’m doing it wrong; it’s not what God asked me to do. God can use all of us. We should have people able to take our place in ministry so that we can rest. 

Jesus rested. He went to quiet places often and rested. I was reminded in a devotional today that in Mark 6:30-31 when the disciples returned from their ministry, Jesus told them to go rest. Being exhausted does not make us better human beings. Statistics prove that tired drivers are worse than drunk drivers. It is imperative that we rest. 

In the summertime, we can enjoy the summer evenings sitting on the porch, or by a fan in the living room resting. The books on our shelves can be read in the quiet evenings. I realized that I must limit my screen time in the evenings so I can get to sleep earlier. I am setting a goal to try to get to bed earlier. By nature, I’m a night owl, but I am more productive with a full day with a well-rested physical body. 

Along with regulated rest, we can take some time in nature. As a young person and a youth pastor, I went to many church summer camps. It was a break from the city. In Southern California, we were in the beauty of God’s creation in the mountains. We all need some time in God’s creation. It doesn’t have to be a week or even a weekend in nature. It can be a morning or evening walk in a park or a hiking trail. For those of us who live near the ocean or lake or a river, we can spend time just admiring God’s beauty for a few hours. Taking a walk outside helps our souls, minds, and bodies. Young people can spend a week at church camp. Adults can spend a few hours with God’s creation and be renewed. 

Along with resting, my favorite summer activities as a young person involved connecting with my friends. The last two years taught us all that we need community. Laughter and great conversations bring health to our souls. Take time to connect, even if its phone calls, or Zoom calls, but in-person community is great and makes us better human beings on social media. Do activities to make new friends. Our country needs our communities to be united and to work together now more than ever. If we as Christians want our country to be more Christian, then we as Christians must go to our communities and serve one another. 

When we connect with other people, we understand the importance of seeing other people’s point of views. We become kind with our words, as we are with them physically and not hiding behind a screen. A few years ago, I discovered the importance of reconnecting with friends from my past as it made social media more social. 

Once we are rested and enjoying other people, we can conquer the issues that come along in our lives. A few hours away from the trials of life will always make us healthier. We just have to make the time to rest. It is imperative. It is for our souls and bodies to be healthy. Let’s have a healthy summer and take a healthy break that benefits you and those around you. 

The Church and Public Schools

 

This has been one of the most difficult years I’ve had as a teacher. I’m not alone. Most teachers have had a difficult year this school year. Most schools struggled. Between absences of students and teachers with Covid, and behavior issues because of the mental health struggles from the pandemic, the world of academics took a hard hit. Then, at the end of the year, a devastating school shooting took place, and once again as teachers, we were reminded we don’t work in a safe place. The debates started. It’s not that people stood on one side or the other. It’s that Christians revealed that we are powerless when in fact we have the power. We have the solution in Jesus. We must use it. 

The public schools have issues. If it is because we removed Bible reading for the entire class (because the Bible is still read in specific courses, especially in high school), and we do not have public prayer for the entire school, then we have a bigger problem in the church in America. Just because we read the Bible and pray does not guarantee that our actions will be those that are like Christ. Let’s be honest. Christians are not behaving as Christians. If you have ever been the only Bible that someone has read, then you understand that our actions and words are much louder than doing a devotional before the start of a day. 

As a teacher in a public school, I have had to demonstrate my faith by what I do and speak. It has been difficult many times, especially this year. I am not perfect. I must confess. I have understood that I may be the only Bible that my students and colleagues may read. It is in those moments that it doesn’t matter what translation I use, but that I exemplify the actions of Jesus. 

Being a Christian in a public school is not easy for the teachers, administrators, or students. When I do stop teaching in a public school, I will not complain that the public schools are corrupt. I will still serve a public school. Even if I teach in a public school until I retire, it is not my place to complain, but to make such a difference that people meet Jesus. 

In Matthew 28, Jesus said to go to all the world and make disciples of all nations. He didn’t say do a devotional. He didn’t say just pray in public, although he did say something about public prayer, but that is for another blog. He told us to go. We must go. So how do you go if you are not a teacher? 

In my youth ministry career, I presented at youth worker seminars how Christian leaders could get onto a public school campus. I gave the leaders at least fifty to one hundred ideas. They would meet in small groups and come up with their own ideas of how to get on the campuses, along with my list. It all starts with having a servant’s heart. If Christians are willing to serve, true change will occur in our country. 

Some simple ways to serve at public schools are doing the jobs that many don’t see like working in the snack bars at games or events or using your talents with the drama or music programs. Those drama and music programs need helpers if your schools have full blown drama and music programs. Help with tickets at events. If you want to coach or tutor, you will have to go through some hoops, but servants are willing to follow the rules to serve. Help your students in your church start a Bible club at school. Yes, they are allowed. They just must be student-led. 

If you are near an elementary, ask a teacher if you could help in the classroom. You know when teachers need the most help? We need the most help setting up our classrooms in the fall. We have so many meetings to go to and not much time in our rooms. The best way to serve though, is to ask. 

A few years ago, I was punished at my youth ministry job and sent to Hawaii for a missionary conference of how to lead short-term mission trips. The conference was my punishment, not the place. Anyway, the best advice I learned was ask the person you are serving, “What do you need?” You may be surprised by their answers. It may be different than what you thought. It may be exactly what you are capable to do. The church must start asking the public schools, “What acts of service do you need?” It’s fun to watch the response because no one serves, and the element of surprise of your servant’s heart is a true blessing for them. 

Jesus said to GO. Why are we sitting in our pews and wringing our hands of how horrible this country is? Christians must GO. We can all play the blame game. That’s easy. That’s comfortable. Going is not easy. It’s not comfortable. It takes time. It uses our talents. It’s time we move and go. Who knows? You may have been called for such a time as this. 

This school year was difficult, but it was not impossible. Teachers were asked to go above and beyond our call of duty. We did. If we want God back in the public schools, God must show up in the form of the people who have his Spirit serving. We can continue to pray for our schools. We can pray for what we can do. Once we begin to serve, change will occur. Let us pray and act. 

The Sacrifice of Life for Freedom-Memorial Day 2022

Today, on this Memorial Day, America remembers those who fought in our battles for our freedom and lost their lives. It is a day to remember that nothing is free. Someone pays the ultimate price. With their sacrifice, we have the freedom to speech, to protest, to vote, to choose our own careers, to own property, and to have the right to education, along with many other freedoms that others may not have in other places in the world. Even though our country has its flaws and problems, as every other country in the world, we do live in a country that gives us freedom. 

In the past couple of years, we have realized that we must be grateful for our freedom. If we become irresponsible, we lose the freedom that we love and enjoy. We have the responsibility to take care of our freedoms. Even though we all have our own political beliefs, we must realize that it is not through a politician or a political agenda that will further our freedom. It is in our actions of how we treat our fellow Americans. We must become more loving. If there are many men and women who were willing to die for the freedom of this country, we must have the sacrifice to see Americans as human beings, and love them with the love of Jesus, which may take sacrifice.  

If we want to keep our freedom, we must sacrifice. We must sacrifice our own desires for the good of others. As Christians, we must think of the desires of others above ourselves. For everyone to enjoy freedom, we must all sacrifice. We all have something in our own lives that we must sacrifice. Our sacrifice comes because of the ultimate sacrifice given for us. 

As Christians, we have freedom from death because of the sacrifice of Jesus. He gave His life so that we can be free. He didn’t die when we decided to be good and attend church. He died for us while we were still sinners. “For rarely will someone die for a just person—though for a good person perhaps some might even dare to die. But God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:7-8, CSB) Jesus sacrificed his life, so we can have the freedom to live. 

With the sacrifices for freedom, it is why the church must begin to act. We cannot take our freedom for granted. Once we abuse it, we lose our freedom and become lukewarm in our faith. Faith without action is dead. (James 2:26) If we just wring our hands and claim that there is nothing that we can do because of the evil and wickedness in the world, then our faith is dead. All the heroes in the Bible fought for their faith, and with their actions, they were able to defeat the evil. 

This Memorial Day, we can all find one action that we can do for our own community that reveals sacrifice. It could be donating food and clothing for those in need. It could be volunteering with a community service for young people. It could be becoming involved with our own neighborhood and seeing who our neighbors are and sharing our freedom in Christ. The one command that Jesus gave us was not to hide in our comfortable homes, but to go and bring the gospel to every corner of the world. The corner of the world that needs Jesus most just might be right around the corner from where you live. So let us go and let our freedom ring!